As I wandered around Mostar, there seemed to be some form of incredible street art around every corner.

Some have called it the “street art capital” of Bosnia & Herzegovina but I might even go a step further and say it holds that title for all of the Balkans – at least per sq. mile. Mostar itself has only a population a bit over 100,000. I’m tempted to attribute it to all the abandoned buildings and remnants left behind but that doesn’t always lead to things like great street art. It certainly comes from more than this so what exactly is it?

I get the impression that the locals of Mostar are quite proud of their city and for good reason: It’s an insanely beautiful town full of history and renowned monuments. When the war ended in 1993 it left behind memories of it were left behind in the form of abandoned, destroyed buildings and bullet holes among other very not fun things to think about. My theory is that there was still much hope in overcoming the division and destruction so locals took it upon themselves to do what they could to cover these fragmented buildings with something beautiful.

It’s apparent when you look at each piece a little harder to find it’s usually expressing some form of hope or optimism. The murals tend to cover spaces that still need much work and parts of the city where the past butts heads harder with the present. Since 2012 there has been an annual street art festival drawing in even more artists to help spread even more of an allure over the city with their work: Mostar Street Art Festival.

After you’re done admiring some street art you can head over to Teco for some tasty vegan food & craft beers.

I had a super tasty vegan burger and my partner had an amazing bowl of soup for of adzuki beans, carrots, tofu and lots of other fresh veggies. Along with my sandwich, I also had a local IPA from Cooltura. The restaurant isn’t all vegan but it’s very vegan friendly and was definitely the best food I had while visiting Mostar. If I’d been in Mostar longer I would have for sure visited several more times. Also, there’s no smoking inside which I consider to be an added perk since most places in Bosnia & Herzegovina allow smoking indoors.

While it’s not exactly a bar setting, I enjoy seeing the inside and workings of the breweries who’s beers I enjoy. One of the brewers greeted me then let me sample each of their beers. They also sell them to go which is great if you’re wanting to take some quality craft beers along with you on a picnic or just have some in the fridge. It’s about a 30 minute walk from Old Town. If you’re looking for somewhere closer to the center to grab a craft beer I recommend The Black Dog Pub.